Chocolate Chip Coconut Oatmeal Bar Cookies with Dried Cherries and M&Ms

Thick, rich, chewy bar cookies bursting with delicious add-ins — oatmeal, dried cherries, chocolate chips, coconut, and plain M&Ms. 

Recently, we went out to dinner with our wonderful backdoor neighbors. While we were waiting for our meals to arrive, they asked about my blog, what I was baking, and told me how much they enjoy the treats I occasionally drop off.

Then Dennis told me that his all-time favorite cookie was one I brought over three years ago at Christmas time. He went on to describe the cookie in detail, so I knew exactly which cookie was his favorite.

The original bar cookies were cut in a star shape, and decorated for Christmas. So I thought it would be fun to share the recipe again with some pretty multi-colored M&Ms, which would be perfect this time of year.

When I’m making a cookie that has lots of mix-ins added to the dough, I like to mix the add-ins together in a big bowl before adding them to dough. That way your mix-ins are more evenly distributed throughout your cookie dough.

It had been a three years since I’d made these cookies, and I shouldn’t have waited so long. They really are a fantastic, over-the-top delicious, memorable bar cookie.

Thanks Dennis for the reminder. I hope you enjoyed them as much this time around.

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Chocolate Chip Coconut Oatmeal Bar Cookies with Dried Cherries and M&Ms

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Bar Cookies

Servings: 24 bar cookies

Author: Barbara Schieving

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups light brown sugar packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats not quick-cooking
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup dried cherries cut in half
• ½ cup M&Ms

Instructions

• Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350° if using a metal pan or 325° using a glass pan.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a large mixing bowl mix the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs one at a time mix until well blended. Mix in the vanilla.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, coconut and cherries.
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle M&Ms on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. (Don’t overcook.)
• Cool on a rack to room temperature before cutting.